Saudi authorities announced Thursday that they had found H5N1 bird flu in captive birds, in the kingdom´s first outbreak of the strain of the disease that is dangerous to humans.

Laboratory tests found the strain in turkeys, parrots, peacocks and ostriches at a farm in the Eastern Province, an agriculture ministry statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency said.

The ministry gave no figures for the number of cases but said that measures had been taken to stop the disease spreading.

The neighbouring Gulf state of Kuwait has reported a spate of cases of H5N1 bird flu in fowl since February 25, many of them in Wafra, close to the border.

But of some 300 people tested for infection by the disease, not one has so far tested positive.